The longitudinal associations between appearance-focused social network site use and body dissatisfaction among college students: serial mediation of appearance comparison and internalization of appearance ideals

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The study involved 1,999 college students assessed over one year to investigate the impact of appearance-focused social media on body dissatisfaction.
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Appearance-focused social network site use was positively associated with body dissatisfaction, mediated by appearance comparison and internalization of appearance ideals.
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Self-objectification did not significantly mediate the relationship between appearance-focused social media use and body dissatisfaction.
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The findings support classic theories regarding media influence on body image in the context of modern social network sites.
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The study highlights the need for precise measurement of appearance-focused social media use to understand its effects on body dissatisfaction.

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